milho
/ˈmi.ʎu/masculine
Maize in Portuguese is milho. Wiktionary also lists abati.
Meaning: corn, a type of grain of the species Zea mays (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| milho | /ˈmi.ʎu/ (Brazil) /ˈmi.ʎu/ (Portugal) |
masculine |
| abati | /a.baˈt͡ʃi/ (Brazil) /ɐ.bɐˈti/ (Portugal) |
Brazil, masculine |
The word refers to maize, a type of grain of the species Zea mays. You may also encounter the term Milho Verde, which literally means green maize and refers to fresh, juicy maize.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, the term abati is used as a regional variant for maize.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun milho is masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmi.ʎu/
When do people say it?
In Brazil, a traditional dish made from maize is called Curau.
Did you know?
- The Portuguese word milho actually comes from the Latin word for 'millet'. When maize was introduced from the Americas, speakers applied the existing word for a similar grain to the new crop.
- While milho is the standard term, in Portuguese folklore and some idioms, the grain is associated with abundance and fertility, often appearing in traditional June festivals known as festas juninas.
- The word milho is a cognate of the Spanish word mijo, as both descended from the Latin word for 'millet'.
Examples in context
- A aflatoxina é um veneno natural produzido por um fungo que cresce no milho, mandioca, amendoim e outras culturas.Aflatoxin is a natural poison produced by a fungus that grows on maize, cassava, ground nuts, and other crops.This sentence is useful for discussing how aflatoxin grows on milho.Tatoeba #11884524 by Cangarejo, translation #11884523 by Cangarejo
- Na Índia o milho é um cultivo de verão, amadurecendo no outono, quando as espigas ou maçarocas são retiradas dos caules.In India maize is a summer crop, ripening in the autumn, when the ears or cobs are picked off the stalks.This sentence describes the seasonal cultivation and harvesting of milho.Tatoeba #11532914 by Cangarejo, translation #11532913 by Cangarejo
- Jelle Van Loon, do Centro Internacional para o Melhoramento do Milho e Trigo, demonstra o protótipo de um plantador manual.Jelle Van Loon, of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, demonstrates a prototype hand planter.This sentence mentions the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center using milho.Tatoeba #11017162 by Cangarejo, translation #11017160 by Cangarejo
- O milho é um alimento básico em muitas culturas ao redor do mundo.Maize is a staple food in many cultures around the world.
- Vamos fazer uma pamonha com milho verde hoje?Shall we make a traditional Brazilian dish called "pamonha" with fresh maize today?
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Beatriz and Felipe are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- BeatrizVocê quer comer milho no jantar?Do you want to eat corn for dinner?
- FelipeSim, eu adoro milho cozido.Yes, I love boiled corn.
- BeatrizEu vou comprar o milho agora.I am going to buy the corn now.
- FelipeObrigado, Beatriz!Thank you, Beatriz!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “maize” translations and entries milho, abati, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries abati, milho, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
